The Macs » Blog

first gift

Christmas this year is hard.
While everyone is getting excited about the approaching holidays,
this year is so different for us.
Our little girl is not here to celebrate with or buy presents for.
Last year we were discovering all the joys
of experiencing Christmas with a child.
This year our house is empty again.
That is so hard.
So, Joel and I have been trying to think
of some “different” ways we can give this year.
When Megan asked me to share about this opportunity,
I thought it was the perfect way to start out our gift giving.

Today, November 13th…

Today is the day where bloggers everywhere

are joining together in a campaign to buy water for Christmas.

4500 mothers bury their children EVERY DAY due to contaminated water.
That statistic crushes my heart.
It hits very close to home this year.
Because I have been there.
And while it is a harsh reality,
no mother should ever have to bury their child.
The lack of access to clean water
is the leading cause of death in underdeveloped nations.
But we can do something to help.
Ethio03

Ethio45

$10 will buy clean water for someone in Africa for 10 years.
10 years.
$10 isn’t much for us, is it?
And your $10 will be changing a life.
Will you join me today?
Click the photo below to be directed to a secure donation site
of the non-profit organization charity: water
All donations are tax deductible.
100% of the profit goes directly to clean water solutions in West Africa.
Firstgift
Share this with everyone you know.
Today.
water for christmas



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  • Lauren Kelly - WOW, this is awesome….. here those of us who have so much are asking for all this material stuff for Christmas, when there’s others out there begging for just some clean water for Christmas. WOW!ReplyCancel

  • Trisha Larson - This is a good idea. We’ve been supportin the Ronald McDonald House and Childrens Hospital LA this past year since they took such good care of us when Nate was there. But, I will also donate to this cause. It’s a great idea. I don’t want any other mommy to ever feel this pain. If I can save it from one, I will!!!

    Hugs,
    TrishaReplyCancel

  • purejoy - i will be posting this as well!! thanks for the reminder!ReplyCancel

  • Sophia - Thanks for this!
    I will be doing this and posting it on my blog too….ReplyCancel

  • mbarker - I think you’re already giving an amazing gift by blogging about your life and faith. We love you –ReplyCancel

  • Mandy - Jess, truly, you are amazing, and so inspiring! I am always awed at the miracles that God brings about because of you!

    Mothers all over Africa will be grateful to you for spreading the word. Thanks for letting us all know about this very worthy cause this year. What a simple way to give an incredible gift! You are just amazing!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - What an amazing cause, and so simple. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I too have now donated, and posted to my fb page.

    Krissy Hunecke
    Batavia, ILReplyCancel

  • Judy - I’m in!! Do you ever read Jody’s blog (www.jodyrlanders.com)? She’s amazing! Such an inspiration! Thanks for blogging about this.ReplyCancel

  • Karina - I’m off to donate now…Thank you, Jess.ReplyCancel

  • Diana - I’ve linked this to my Facebook page in hopes that others will contribute too. What a beautiful idea. I have been wanting to do somethign different with my own children this year to restore Christmas’ true meaning… this is a good first start. Thank you. I pray God’s “comfort and joy” are thick for you this holiday season.ReplyCancel

  • Krystal - This is awesome! I just donated $50. Thanks for sharing!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - You are amazing..thinking of others in your time of grief…I too will join this awesome cause.

    Thanks for being you!

    KimReplyCancel

  • Robin in Benton - What a wonderful idea. I’m going there right now to donate. Blessings to you!ReplyCancel

  • Missy - amazing! thanks you for sharing this. i’m going to share with others.

    blessings to you!ReplyCancel

  • Kristin - Thanks for letting me know about this. I donated and will post it on my blog too.ReplyCancel

  • Nicole - I did it! Thanks for presenting the opportunity!ReplyCancel

  • jody - really beautiful.
    thank you.

    i think of your family often. was fun to meet Meg and others who love you dearly.ReplyCancel

  • Sarah - Thanks so much for posting this! What a simple, yet amazing cause. I will definetly be giving to it and will be posting this link too!ReplyCancel

  • k and c's mom - Thank you.
    I will look into it.ReplyCancel

  • Brenda - Done. Thank you for making me feel good about something meaningful this holiday season. I am sick of worrying about “what toys?” for the kids…. so meaningless. I am going to post this on my blog as well. Thanks for thinking of this, Jess.ReplyCancel

  • the whytes - when i first heard about this from megan, i immediately passed it on. such a wonderful way to give.

    i had the opportunity today to venture out of my house all by myself and heard a song on k-love that really hit me. as i sat at the stop light, tearing up, i thought of you. the song is the first on my playlist on my blog, and the words are written down on the blog post ‘Your Hands’. it’s a very simple, but powerful song and i wanted to share it with you.

    susie

    http://www.emilyaidenwhyte.blogspot.comReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Pretty crazy that $10.00 can go so far. We are so blessed to live in America. I have posted this to my facebook and will spread the word. Thanks for sharing. You’ve already made such a huge difference. I should add so has Cora. She’s the one who inspired all of this. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Thank you for raising awareness. I donated this morning and then while cleaning my 6 year old daughter’s room with her I was telling her about it and she decided she wanted to donate $10 from her allowance. When we told her dad what she wanted to do, he said he would match her donation so we gave $30 today and I am amazed by my daughter’s giving spirit. She inspired me today. She wanted me to say that she donated money and she only has $1 left of her allowance but she is proud of what she did. Thanks again!!ReplyCancel

  • Clem - Donated and posting to my FB.ReplyCancel

  • Emma and Company - What a great idea! I admire your Christ-centered ideas and blogs. You are such an inspiration…I think about you all quite often, especially now with Christmas coming up. Just know that I will be praying for you.ReplyCancel

  • Patti - Thank you for sharing this!! $10 is practically nothing to us and so much to those mothers! I donated and will encourage my friends to do the same!!ReplyCancel

  • Sue - OK, I’m reading back here, so forgive me! As a South African, I can only say thanks for posting this and for all the money you helped to raise! What a fantastic cause to support. Living in Africa and having travelled around a little, I can honestly say that we (that’s all of us who live in cities around the world, who have private bathrooms with fresh running water and electricity and beds and fridges with food in them) have no idea how rough it gets out there. It breaks my heart to see young children begging for money at the traffic lights, plastic bottle of glue in hand, drunken parents sitting on the pavement. We have squatter camps and shantie (or informal) villages popping up all over the show. Living conditions in these villages are shocking to say the least. And South Africa is ahead of the game over many other African countries.

    This really moved me…ReplyCancel